Motor or engine.



R. R. TURNER.

MOTOR 0R ENGINE.

. APPLICAHON FlLED SEPT.22\1915.

,275,592 Paten'ted Aug. 13, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. H. TURNER.

MOTOR 0R ENGINE.

APPLICMION min SWL-22.11915.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. H. TURNER.

MOTOR 0R ENGINE.

APPLICAHON FILED $2121.22, 1915.

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H. H. TURNER. MOTOR OR ENGINE.

APPLICAION FILED SEPI-22,1915.

Patented. Aug. 13, 1918. jZQyTS-SHEET 4- Mvfmw @y Mdffw-m mw,

EJILIHMXDD H. TURNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MTOR 0R ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten aug. is, reis.

Application filed September 22, 1915. Serial No. 52,017.

To all whom t may concern:

, Be it known that I, HAROLD H. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulrlmprovements in Motors or Engines, of `which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to prime movers of a type in which explosions of charges of carbureted air or equivalent explosive vapors act upon a body of liquid, such as mercury, to intermittently drive it through a closed circuit of chambers and passages, in the course of which it is directed against the blades of a turbine wheel to turn it and supply power; suitable provision-of course being made for exhausting the'spent products of combustion. The general 'object of my invention is the production and embodiment of this novel type of engine in a practical and elicient form, to which end I have devised the particular mechanical construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described, and which exhibit incidental features of novelty and utility which will hereinafter appear and are more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I have illustrated my invention as embodied in two forms of engine, difering somewhat in arrangement and construction, but having the same mode of operation; and it will be understood that my invention embraces all modilications and variations of form which come within the scope of my claims and do not depart substantially from the principle thereof. y

Oi the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the form of engine first to be described; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the right, as viewed in Figs. l and 2; Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail of the spark plug arrangement used at the top of the explosion chambers; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the distributing valve at right angles to its axis showing the arrangement of parts and passages; Fig. 7 is a section of the same taken through its axis; Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a modified form of motor, taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is a front view of such modified form; Fig. 10 is a central vertical section of the motion looking in the direction of the arrows 10-10; Fig. 11 a section in the same plane, but looking in the direction of the y outwardly extending radiating .respectively inclosing the explosion chamsame parts .in all the gures of the drawv ings. v

Referring first to the shown is Figs. 1 to 5, the frame and casing of the engine may conveniently be formed of two vertically arranged hollow castings 1 and 2, respectively closed at their rear-.sides by the plates 3 and L To these castin s are bolted or otherwise secured transverse y arranged hollow castings 5 and 6, formed with ianges and bers G and H. The front casting or casing and frame member 1 is formed' with a pressure` chamber C, arranged beneath the eX- ploslon chamber G, an( a collecting chamber D, beneath the explosion chamber H; and also with a turbine nhamber, within which is arranged the turbine wheel 7 equipped with the blades 8 and secured to the rotatable motor shaft 9 extending through and Journaled in bearings on the castings 1 and Zand cover plates 3 and 4. The bottom of the turbine chamber opens or exhausts into the collecting chamber D through an opening controlled by the check valve 10. The

rear casting 2 is similarly formed, with Aa pressure chamber A beneath the explosion chamber G and a, collecting chamber B beneath the explosion chamber H, and with a turbine ehamber'in which is arranged a turbine wheel similar to the turbine wheel 7 and also mounted on the shaft 9. The bottom of this turbine chamber opens into the'collecting chamber B. and passage therethrough is governed by a the valve 10 and. lying immediately back ot such valve as viewed in Fig. 4. A large.

port G affords free communication between thecombustion chamber G and the pressure chamber A, and a similar port H affords like communication between thc combustion chamber H and pressure chamber B. A

pipe J provides free communication between.

the explosion chamber G and the collecting chamber D, and a pipe I similarly provides free communication between the explosion chamber H and the collecting chamber C.

A pipe 0 forming a mercury conduit check valve 1()a slmilar tol form of engine leads from the rear passage chamber A to a discharge o ening near the top of the rear turbine cham er, and a simliar pipe Q leads from the bottom of the front pressure chamber C t0 the top of the front turbine chamber.

It will be observed that the chambers and passages thus far described constitute tWo separate passageways for the circulationof two diierent charges of bodies of mercury, one on each side of the engine, one of which bodies acts on one turbine wheel and the other on the other, both Wheels being secured to the same motor shaft. By means which will hereinafter be described the body of mercury on one side of the motor is driven, by explosions in the chamber G, from the pressureY chamber A' through the pipe C and rear turbine passages and through the check valve 10*L into the collecting chamber B; and, on the other side, by explosions in the chamber H alternating with the explosions in the chamber G, the other body of mercury is driven from the chamber C through the pipe Q and front turbine passages into the collecting chamber D; the mercury driven from such 'chamber C into the chamber D at one explosion being forced at the next explosion (in the opposite explosion chamber), back into chamber C through a port governed by the check valve 11, and the mercury being returned from the chamber B to the chamber A. through an opening controlled by a similar check valve 11a in the same manner. This check valve lies directly beyond said valve 11 as viewed in Fig. 4, as indicated by the dotted leader line.

The apparatus used for producing explosions alternately in the chambers G and H of the motor comprises a carbureter 12,-- through which, by the action of the pump 13, a suitable hydrocarbon is drawn in from a. supply tank (not shown) and air is drawn in through a regulating Valve 14, the' carbureted mixture being brought by the action of the pump to a high pressure in the vapor reservoir 15 ;-a rotary distributing valve 1G by which the explosive vapor from such reservoir is admitted alternately into the combustion chambers; and an electric sparking system for exploding the charges of vapor.

For reciprocating the piston of the pump an eccentric 17 fixed to the motor shaft is employed, While a small pinion 18 fixed on said shaft, meshing with a larger pinion 19 on the shaft of the distributing valve serves to rotate such valve; the gearing of the parts being such that the piston of the pump will bc reciprocated a considerable number of times to each revolution of the distributer, thus maintaining a considerable degree of pressure in the vapor reservoir. The casing 20 of `the distributer isformed with a port P alt the end of the inlet pipe P leading from the vapor reservoir thereto, and is also formed With a port N communlcatingl with the end of a pipe N' leading to the combustion chamber G, and a port K communicating With the end of a pipe K leading to the combustion chamber H. Through a branch or manifold passage the pipe K also communicates with a port K2 back of and in the same axial plane as the port N; and the pipe N in a like manner communicates with a port-N2 in the same axial plane as the port K. The ports N and N2 are in one radial plane, and thev ports K and K2 are in a different and parallel plane, While the port P and an exhaust port 23 are broad enough to overlapboth planes. The inlet passage terminating in the port P', and the exhaust passage 23, however, are so formed as not to intersect any of the other passages of the casing. The distributer is provided with bridging passages 21 and 22 which are arranged to place the port P' alternately in communication with the ports N and K2 so that the passage 21 will begin to supply explosive vapor to the pipe N and connected chambers from the vapor reservoir 15, under the ressure therein caused by the pump, when the passage 22 places the pipe K and connected chambers in communication through the port K with the exhaust port and passage 23. The charge of vapor which is thus caused to pass into the combustion chamber G is exploded immediately after the closing of the port 1) by a. spark plug located at the top of the chamber, at the entrance of the pipe thereinto. Upon thc rota-tion of the valve through an arc of one hundred and eighty' degrees the connections are reversed, and the explosion chamber H will be charged vand exploded in the same manner. This spark plug may be of the form shown in Fig. 5, in which an insulated section 24 at the end of the pipe K, forming one electrode, is electrically connected with one terminal of the battery through a contact breaking switch, While a second electrode -25 is formed upon the plug member 26 which is screwed directly into a screw threaded bore at the top of the chamber, the other terminal of the battery being connected with the engine frame, which thus serves as a ground.

The spark may be 'caused by any suitable form of switch geared to a moving part of the engine and arranged to open and close the electric circuit to produce a spark at the proper time. In Fig. 7, I have illustrated a suitable switch for the purpose forming part of the rot-ary distributor structure. 1n this switch an insulated metal spring 27 carried by the distributor casing and in elec trical communication with one terminal of the battery is in constant Contact with an insulated ring 28 supported by a fibcrplate 29 secured to the body of the rotary distributer 16. A laterally extending roller carried by this ring 28 cooperates with two insulated spring contact members 30, fixed in the casing of the distributer, one of these contacts 30 being connected to the spark plug member 24 at -the top of theexplosion chamber G, and the other to the similar member at the topr of the chamber H.

rom the description already given the operation of my new motor Will be readily understood. Assuming, as a point for beginning a description of the cycle of action of the motor, that the pressure chamber A and collecting chamber D are filled With mercury, the rotation of the distributer permits the explosion chamber G to fill with vapor, compressing the products of explosion remaining therein and which at the time were at atmospheric pressure and forcing them to the farther parts of the chambers A and D, and also opens the explosion 'chamber H and connected Vchambers B and C to exhaust. As soon as the distributer closes the port P, a spark ignites the charge, and the high pressure created by the explosion extends to the chambers A and D, driving the mercury from the chamber D into the chamber C, as heretofore described,- the check valves 10a and 11a preventing escape of the contents of the chambers in a reverse direction at a succeeding stage. The space in the .chambers B and C and explosion chamberH filled with the products of a previous explosion in the last mentioned chamber are driven out through the pipe K and exhaust port of the distributer.

In Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 I have illustrated an upright or vertical form of motor embodying my invention in which the pressure chambers from which the mercury is driven through the turbine wheels are arranged at the top, while the collecting chambers are arranged at the bottom; and in which there is no distinct. combustion chamber; the explosive vapor being driven into the top portions of the pressure and collecting chambers and there exploded, preferably by separate sparks, one in each chamber.

In this form of engine, the explosion chambers 31 and 32 at the top of the engine, which are at once. the combustion and pressure chambers, communicate with the collecting chambers 34 and 33, respectively, on opposite sides of the engine at the bottom thereof, through the pipes 35 and 36'. These pipes respectively communicate through branch pipes 37 and 33` with a rotary distributer which isfpractically identical with that of theform of engine first described, and which is connected through a supply pipe' 45 with a source of explosive vapor. A checkvalve 39 is placed at the exit of the turbine passage interposed between the pressure chamber 31 and collecting chamber 34 where iten'teis such last mentioned chamber; and a similar valve is placed at the exit of the other turbine passage, between the chambers 32 and 33. A pipe 40 leads from the bottom of the collecting chamber 34 to the top of the pressure chamber 31, a check valve (see Fig. l2) being placed at the point where it enters such chamber, and a similar pipe 42, provided with a similar check valve, leads from the bottom of the chamber 33 to the top of the chamber 32. A passage 43 formed in the casing leads from the bottom of the pressure chamber to the top of the turbine casing, and a similar passage leads from the bottom of the other pressure chamber to the top of the other turbine.

s in the case of the motor first described the apparatus forl igniting the explosive vapor may be constructed as a part of the rotary distributing valve structure, but preferably sparks should be made simultaneously in the pressure chamber 3l, and collecting chamber 34 at one time, and in' the chambers 32 and 33 at the alternate intervals. However, this simultaneous sparking in both chambers is not essential, as the explosive vapor in the pipes 35 and 36 will constitute rapid and effective fuses for causing back firing vfrom an explosion in only one of two connected chambers to the other. The mercury will on the one side of the motor be forced successively at one explosion from the collecting chamber 34 through the pipe 40 into the pressure chamber 32` and at the next explosion in the chamber 32 through the passage 43 through the turbine, collecting again in the chamber 34; and on the other side from the chamber 33 into the chamber 31, and from the chamber 31 through the other turbine back into the chamber 33; the stages on the opposite sides alternating. When an explosion occurs in the chambers 31 and 34 the products of combustion in the chambers 32 and 33 4escape through pipes 35 and 37 and communicating passages of the distributer leading to the exhaust passage and port 44 and when the explosion occurs in the chambers 32 and 33 the products in chambers 31 and.34 escape through pipes 36 and 38 and communicating passages to said exhaust port.

`While mercury is the liquid most perfectly adapted for use in such engines as those above described, it will be understood that other liquids having a very high vaporizing point such as certain mineral oils may be used in engines havin@ the same mode of operation, and also embodying my invention.

I claim:

1. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arranged to be operated by a liquid fiowing therethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening, a passage connecting said bottom opening and-the inlet opening of the turbine chamber, a return passage connecting said outlet opening andthe pressure chamber, a valve governing communication through-said outlet opening, a valve governingcommunication between said return passage and said pressure chamber, means for periodically igniting charges of an explosive in the pressure chamber, and means for synchronously relieving pressure in said turbine chamber.

2. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having` inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arranged to be operated by'a liquid flowing therethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening, a passage connecting said bottom opening and the inlet opening of the turbine chamber, a return passage connecting said outlet opening and the pressure chamber, a valve governing communication through said outlet opening, a check valve governing` said outlet opening, a check valve between said return passage and said presranged to be operated by aliquid owing sure4 chamber', means for periodically igniting charges of explosive in the pressure chamber, and means for synchronously relieving pressure in said return passage and turbine chamber.

3. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arranged to be operated by a liquid flowing therethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet opening of the turbine chamber, a collecting chamber connecting with the outlet opening of the turbine chamber and having valve-governed communication with the pressure chamber, means for periodically exploding charges of an explosive in the pressure chamber to drive the body of liquid therefrom through the turbine passages into the collecting chamber, and means for eX- pelling such liquid from the collecting chamber again into the pressure chamber in the intervals between the explosions in such pressure chamber.

4. Amotor of the cbaracterdescribed and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and`outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber artherethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of .liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet cpening of the turbine chamber, a collecting chamber having valve-governed communication with the outlet opening of the including a casin explosions in such chamber.

5. A motor of the character described and formed with a turbine chamber having in et and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arranged to be operated by a liquid flowing therethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet opening of the turbine' chamber, a collecting chamber having valve-governed communication with the outlet opening of the tur-- binev chamber and also having valve-governed communication with the pressure chamber, means for periodically exploding charges of an explosive in the pressure chamber to drive the body of liquid therefrom through the turbine lecting chamber, and means for periodically exploding charges of an explosive in sai collecting chamber to expel such liquid 'therefrom back into 4said pressure chamber alternatelyv with the explosions in such pressure chamber.

6. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arrangedto be operated by a liquid 4llowing therethrough, a pressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet opening of the turbine chamber, a cellecting chamber communicating with the outlet opening of the turbine chamber, a check valve governing such communication, a check-valve-governed passage between said collecting chamber and said pressure chamber, means for exploding charges of explosive gas alternately in said pressure chamber and said collectingchamber to drive the body of liquid from the 'former chamber through the turbine passages into the latter chamber, and then again into the rst mentioned chamber, and valve-governed passages andports for exhausting the products of explosion.

7. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within said chamber arrange to be operated by a liquid flowing therethrough, apressure chamber adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet openpassages into the col- :ing of the turbine chamber, a collecting chamber communicating with the outlet opening of the turbine chamber, a check valve governing such communication, a check-valve-governed passage between said collecting chamber and said pressure chamber, a passage communicating with said pressure chamber for supplying it with charges of explosive gas and exhausting the products of combustion therefrom, a second passage communicating with said collecting chamber for supplying it with charges of explosive vapor and exhausting the products of combustion therefrom, a source for supplying gas under pressure, valve means for placing one of said passages in connection with said source and then shutting it oil' and simultaneously placing the other passage in exhaust condition, such valve being arranged td establish such connections with the two passages in alternation, and igniting means for exploding the charges while shut oli' from the source of gas supply.

8. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel arranged within said chamber and adapted to be operated'by a liquid, a passage connecting said openings and providing with` the turbine passages of the motor a passageway for the flow of a body of liquid in a closed circuit therethrough, and means for driving such liquid through said passageway.

9. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a. turbine wheel arranged within said chamber and adapted to be operated by a liquid, a pressure chamber and passages communicating with said opening and providing with the turbine passages of the motorl a passageway for the flow -of a body of liquid in a closed circuit therethrough, means for periodically discharging charges of explosive gas in said pressure chamber to drlve the body of liquid therefrom through the turbine passages; and means for exhausting the products of combustion.

10. A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings', a turbine wheel arranged within said chamber and adapted to be operated by a liquid, a pressure chamber, having a passage for the How of liquid from its bottom to the inlet opening of the turbine chamber, a passage for the flow of liquid from the outlet opening of the turbine chamber back into the pressure chamber, a body ofliquid arranged to'circulatc through said chambers and passages, means for periodically discharging charges of explosive vapor in said pressure chamber to drive the body of liquid therefrom through the turbine passages,

means for periodically exploding charges of explosive vapor to successively drive said body of liquid from said pressure chamber through the turbine passages into said collecting chamber and from said collect-ing chamber back into said pressure chamber.

l2. A motor of the character described and comprising frame and casing members formed at opposite sides with two turbine chambers having inlet and outlet openings, two turbine wheels operatively connected to a common driving member, two pressure chambers at opposite sides of the motor respectively, having passages from their bottoms to the inlet openings of the two turbine chambers, two passages respectively connecting said two turbine chambers through their outlet openings and two pressure chambers, two bodies of liquid arranged to circulate independently in the chambers and passages at opposite sides of the motor, and means for alternately discharging charges of explosive vapor in the two ressure chambers to drive said bodies o liquid therefrom through the respective turbine passages.

13. A motor of the character described and comprising frame and-casing members formed fat opposite sides with two turbine chambers having inlet and outlet openings, two turbine wheels operatively connected to a common driving lmember, two pressure chambers at opposite sides of the motor respectively, 'havingpassages from their bottoms to the inlet openings'of the two turbine chambers, two collecting chambers at opposite sides of the motor communicating respectively with the outlet openings of the turbine chambers, and with the two pressure chambers on the same side, the pressure chamber on one side of the motor being in free communication with the collecting chamber on the other side and vice versa, means for periodically discharging charges of explosive vapor toproduce high pressure simultaneously vin the pressure chamber on one side and the collecting chamber on the other side of the motor, and vice versa, in alternation` to drive the bodies of fluid at opposite sides of the motor successively from the pressure chamber on a given side arranged to through the turbine passages into the collecting chamber on that side and then from the collecting chamber again into the pressure chamber, and means for venting the products of combustion.

14. A motor of the character described and comprising frame and casing members formed at opposite sides with two turbine chambers having inlet and outlet openings, two turbine wheels operatively lconnected to a common driving member, two pressure chambers at opposite sides of the motor respectively, having passages from their bottoms to the inlet openings of the two turbine chambers, two collecting chambers at opposite sides of the motor communicating.

respectively with'the outlet openings of the turbine chambers, and with the two pressure chambers on the same side, the pressure chamber on one side of the motor being in free communication with the collecting chamber on the other side and vice versa, a source for supplying gas and valve means for periodically supplying gas to one pressure chamber and connected collecting chamber and then shutting it off and simultaneously placing the other pressure chamber and connected collecting chamber in exhaust connection, such valve means being arranged to establish such connections reversely in alternation, and igniting means for exploding the charges while shut olf from the source of gas supply.

15, A motor of the character described and including a casing formed with a turbine chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a turbine wheel within 'said .chamber be operated by a liquid flowing therethrough, a combustion chamber, a pressure chamber in free communication therewith and adapted to receive a body of liquid and having a bottom opening communicating with the inlet of the turbine chamber, a l

collecting chamber at the outlet of the turbine chamber and communicating with the pressure chamber, means Jfor introducing charges of explosive vapor into said combustion chamber, and means for exploding such charges to drive the body of liquid from the pressure chamber through the turbine chamber into the collecting chamber.

16. A. motor of the character described and comprising frame ad casing members formed at opposite sides with two turbine chambers having inlet and outlet openings, two turbine wheels operatively connected to a common driving member, two combustion chambers at o posite sides of the motor, two pressure cham ers respectively in free communication with said two combustion chambers and respectively having passages leading from their bottoms to the inlets to the two turbine chambers, two collecting chambers at opposite sides of the motor communieating respectively with the outlets of the two turbine chambers and with the two pressure chambers on the same side, the combustion chamber on one sideof the motor being arranged in free communication with the.

collecting chamber on the other side, and

`vice versa, means for introducing charges of explosive vapor into said combustion chambers alternately, means for exploding said charges, and means for lventing the products of combustion.

17. A motor of the character described comprising a frame and casing formed with a passage way for the circulation of a body of liquid and includin a turbine chamber and an explosion cham er, a'body of liquid in 'said passageway, an electric circuit including an igniter arranged in said explosion chamber, a reservoir for explosives-vapor, a pump arranged to pumpexplosive vapor into said reservoir and bring it to high pressure, a distributing valve for admitting charges of as periodically into said explosion cham er.I and a switch contact member mounted on said valve and coperating with a fixed switch contact member'to interrupt the electric circuit and produceexplosions in said explosion chamber toY drive the body of fluid through said turbine chamber. l

HAROLD H. TURNER. Witnesses Louis B. ERWIN, Ronn'r DoBBnnMAN. 

